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Food the tie that binds Jewish culture, religion.

Article Excerpt
Byline: Laura Bianchi

As a reconstructionist rabbi and a student of archeology, Eitan Weiner-Kaplow believes that Judaism is more than faith and religion, it is a whole civilization, and one way to tie it all together is through cooking.

"Food is a great part of our proud Jewish heritage and tradition," he says. "In many ways food is a way of connecting with our ancestors and with Jewish communities around the world."

To pass along this philosophy to the young people in his synagogue, Weiner-Kaplow recently created a class called Hebrew Havayah! for eighth-and ninth-graders at Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Synagogue in Northbrook. Havayah means "a great happening" in Hebrew, and the goal is to coax students to continue studying their faith after they have celebrated their bar or bat mitzvah.

After all, what better way to draw teenagers to faith class than through their stomachs?

"We start class by cooking and while the food is cooking we sit down and study highlights of Jewish history, the personalities and events and how they affect our lives today," said Weiner-Kaplow, whose synagogue draws members from many communities, including Buffalo Grove, Wheeling and Arlington Heights. "I tie each...

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